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OCCUPY! An Unfinished Uprising

OCCUPY! An Unfinished Uprising

Future Hindsight 425 Episodes Aug 20, 2026

This six-part narrative series from Future Hindsight explores the Occupy Wall Street movement of 2011, telling the story from the perspective of activists who camped out in a New York City park. It covers how the protest grew rapidly, felt chaotic and transcendent, and ended violently. The series argues that despite being labeled a failure, Occupy popularized the language of the '99%' and profoundly influenced American politics and activism.

Episodes

Who is the Working Families Party?: Maurice Mitchell
Who is the Working Families Party?: Maurice Mitchell Aug 20, 2026 49:07 We discuss why now is the time for a third political party to really take center stage in American democracy.Maurice’s civic action toolkit recommendations are:  Organize! Join an organization. Create conditions where people can govern and decide the direction of their country and their democracy Maurice Mitchell is the National Director of the Working Families Party. He's a nationally-re
Episode 6: You Can't Evict an Idea
Episode 6: You Can't Evict an Idea Aug 13, 2026 42:28 In the middle of the night, the police move in to raid the encampment. What follows is chaotic, emotional, and unforgettable. But the story doesn't end when the tents come down. Former occupiers reflect on the movement's surprising legacy, the political forces it helped unleash, and what its successes and failures can teach us about organizing in an age of rising authoritarianism.Want to
Episode 5: The Question of Safety
Episode 5: The Question of Safety Aug 6, 2026 38:27 As the weather gets colder and tents go up, life inside the encampment grows more complicated. Questions of safety and accountability become increasingly urgent, but occupiers have wildly different ways of responding to the problems. It turns out that the movement's greatest strength—its openness—may also be its greatest vulnerability.Want to dive deeper? Listen to these episodes of Futur
Episode 4: They Walk Among Us
Episode 4: They Walk Among Us Jul 30, 2026 40:13 A month in, the Occupy movement goes global, but pressure is mounting from every direction. A hipster cop confirms that police have infiltrated. Rumors of sabotage are circulating. The authorities want to kick the occupiers out. The movement is able to win a major victory—but even the most committed activists are starting to get worn out.Want to dive deeper? Listen to these episodes of Fu
Episode 3: A Fork in the Road
Episode 3: A Fork in the Road Jul 23, 2026 43:27 When a march reaches the Brooklyn Bridge, a split-second decision changes everything. Hundreds of people face arrest – and deeper questions emerge about the power dynamics and strategy within the movement. How can they contain the chaos of an ever-growing, leaderless movement? And should Occupy work with politicians and celebrities, or remain fiercely independent? Want to dive deeper? Lis
Episode 2: Occupy Goes Viral
Episode 2: Occupy Goes Viral Jul 16, 2026 44:06 The encampment grows as anarchist organizers introduce radical new ways of making decisions and taking action. Armed with livestreams, smartphones, and social media, participants invite the world to watch—and join. Then, a shocking encounter with police is captured on camera, transforming a local protest into a national story overnight.Want to dive deeper? Listen to these episodes of Futu
Episode 1: The Invitation
Episode 1: The Invitation Jul 7, 2026 39:55 In 2011, a handful of skeptical New Yorkers answer a call to Occupy Wall Street. What they find feels less like a protest and more like a glimpse of a different world—one where people openly share stories of debt, hardship, and frustration. They start to build an anti-capitalist village in a tiny Manhattan park — under the watchful eyes of police.Want to dive deeper? Listen to these episo
Introducing Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising
Introducing Occupy! An Unfinished Uprising Jul 2, 2026 02:49 Occupy Wall Street is the story of the improbable becoming possible.In 2008, millions of people were devastated by an economic crash caused by Wall Street greed, but it wasn’t until 2011 that there was a mass response from the Left. A call to protest went out, and thousands of people responded. They raged against a system that was rigged against them and tried to create their own anti-cap
Democracy's Unfinished Promise: Alex Hertel-Fernandez
Democracy's Unfinished Promise: Alex Hertel-Fernandez Jun 25, 2026 40:51 We discuss the intersection of policymaking on economics and democracy, the harm of intense concentration of wealth, and the need for building durable civil society. Alex's civic action toolkit recommendations are: Join an organization in your community Be in community with other people Alex Hertel-Fernandez is a labor policy scholar and the Herbert H. Lehman Professor of Gover
Right-Wing Women Are Mobilized: Katie Gaddini
Right-Wing Women Are Mobilized: Katie Gaddini Jun 18, 2026 43:02 We discuss the enthusiasm for civic engagement by right-wing women, which translates to power and victory at the ballot box. Katie's civic action toolkit recommendations are: 1) Research and know the issues on your ballot 2) Vote in local elections Katie Gaddini is a sociologist, visiting scholar at Stanford University, and the author of Esther's Army: The Christian Women Who Power
The Gerontocracy Problem: Samuel Moyn
The Gerontocracy Problem: Samuel Moyn Jun 11, 2026 43:26 We discuss the overlooked and insidious complications from gerontocracy in American democracy. Sam's civic action toolkit recommendations are: 1) Think of democracy as a political form for transient human beings 2) Evangelize one of these ideas: age quotas, tax code reform, or campaign finance reform Samuel Moyn is the Kent Professor of Law and History at Yale University, the cohost
Activism vs. Majority Rule: Brian Adams
Activism vs. Majority Rule: Brian Adams Jun 4, 2026 41:47 We discuss the balance of influence between activists and the majority in local politics and how we can reinvigorate democracy at the local level. Brian's civic action toolkit recommendations are: 1) Identify the problem you want to fix in your community 2) Develop an innovative solution and advocate for it Brian Adams is professor of political science at San Diego State University

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